Cologne Council looks to acquire downtown house

Published March 12, 2014 at 11:06 am

The Cologne City Council offered Carver County $5,000 for a house at 105 Paul Avenue. (NYA Times staff photo by Adam Gruenewald)

by ADAM GRUENEWALD
NYA Times

Cologne council members made progress on several items in their meeting on March 3.
Although four items were tabled, they had several key discussions on issues including the city logo, gym lease agreements and a parking lot agreement with Cologne Academy.
In the lone decision of the night, council members agreed to offer Carver County $5,000 for a house on Paul Avenue. Located at 105 Paul Avenue North, the property could be acquired by the city. City Administrator John Hendel said the land the property sits on is worth less than $30,000 and it would cost $15,000 to tear it down.
While they considered using the area for potential office space, the city’s plan is to list the property for sale.
Council members also discussed a revisited a discussion on the city’s official logo before tabling the item to have it redesigned as they selected portions from two different proposed logos.
City Administrator John Hendel explained the city is currently using three different logos – a block lettered “City of Cologne” logo for city equipment, a tree design for the old water tower and a stretched logo for the new water tower.
“We’re just trying to see if there’s any good thoughts or if we should leave it the way it is,” said Hendel. “What one logo does our city want?”
Hendel said it would be fairly inexpensive to re-label the city trucks as well as create for patches for shirts for public works staff and city employees. The Cologne Lions are also volunteering to paint one of the signs into town.
“I think we need to be consistent,” said Hendel.
Council members at first expressed hesitation on using a new logo, but understood the importance of using just one moving forward.
“I do like the idea of having one,” said Jeff McInnis, adding they would then have four. “I don’t see why we don’t just wait until we have an expensive change… That’s a lot of money and expense.”
Scott Williams agreed, emphasizing they can move forward with the logo as it is needed.
“If we’re picking it for a letterhead and shirts, that I can go with,” he said. “But if we’re picking it for anything else, I wouldn’t. You don’t go out and re-letter the trucks, you don’t touch any of the water towers or anything until something needs to be done.”
The council will likely approve a new logo for some of the smaller items at their next meeting.
In other news, council members tabled a discussion on a parking lot agreement with Cologne Academy, adopted the Carver County Water Management Organization’s 2014 Education Work plan and made progress, with a work session, on pricing agreements for various events held at the Cologne Community Center.
The Cologne City Council will next meet at 7 p.m. on March. 17.